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April 11, 2015 : Kayode Idowu and Eniola Akinkuotu

National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Lai Mohammed

The All Progressives Congress has directed its members and supporters in Adamawa State to defy the curfew imposed by the state police command, describing it as unlawful.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said in a statement on Friday that there was no threat to security in the state to warrant the imposition of a curfew.

The APC said the Presidential and National Assembly elections were held without incident or declaration of curfew, wondering what warranted the unlawful curfew declaration.

Imposing an unlawful curfew with effect from when voting ends on Saturday is suspect and unacceptable. We are therefore asking all our members and supporters to ignore the curfew, come out en masse to vote and also stay back to defend their votes, the party added.

The Adamawa State Police Command had imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on the state to forestall violence that may trail the governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gabriel Adaji, said this while briefing newsmen on the preparation of the police for the April 11 elections in Yola on Friday.

The police commissioner said the curfew would run between April 12 and 14 would begin at 6pm and end by 6am.

He said that the measure was to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct of the elect ions.

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APC tells supporters in Adamawa to defy curfew

Progressives in Chicagoand across the countryactually should be encouraged by Rahm Emanuels balance of progressive ideas and pragmatic leadership and his re-election Tuesday on those terms. The mayoral runoff election wasnt about the future of liberalism in America, as many had speculated. Rather, this vote was about getting things done (a Midwestern ethos), on a huge scale, and at a time of persistent problems.

Some national organizations that supported challenger Jesus Chuy Garcia tried to frame this election as a macro sociopolitical moment. But Chicago, a city of neighborhoods, viewed the campaign through a hyper-local lens: What has the mayor done for me here, on my block, at my kids school, at my job? What do I still need him to do?

Over six weeks and three debates, voters in Chicagos more than 2,000 precincts got a crash course in Mr. Emanuels progressive accomplishments. He raised the minimum wage; secured universal full-day kindergarten; and created the Star Scholarship program, which waives community college tuition and fees for Chicago public school graduates with a B average. He opened city jobs and internships to undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children (DREAMers). He expanded affordable housing. He cracked down on payday lenders predatory tactics. He passed an ordinance barring employer discrimination on the basis of credit history (something New York City progressives are still fighting for).

At this point, detractors will argue that Mr. Emanuel is too close to [insert evil-sounding entity here] or rail against specific parts of his record. But after many media-saturated weeks, a plurality of Chicagoans opted for Mr. Emanuel.

Economic inequality in the U.S. is too vast for any one elected official to quell it. But new opportunities can emerge, and policy ideas cannot become reality without strong leadership.Someday, his administration may serve as a case study of fighting for progressive public policy while remaining conversant with and responsive to the entities and institutions at the heart of economic growth.

Mr. Emanuels predecessor served 22 years in office, making this contested election a Chicago unicorn. Chicagoans paid attention. Granted, turnout was lowon an April day so cold the Cubs postponed their scheduled night game. Neighborhood by neighborhood, city residents are aware of looming obstacles, such as the staggering $32 billion in pension payments coming due. In a late-cycle television ad, Mayor Emanuel promised to do better. People across the country will be watching. His second term should be seen as a victory for decisiveness and vision and an opportunity, rather than a defeat, for progressives.

Tracy Sefl is a Democratic communications strategist who splits her time between Chicago and Washington. She works with nonprofits and advocacy organizations and is a senior adviser to Ready for Hillary PAC. She is on Twitter: @TracySefl.

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In Rahm Emanuels Re-Election, an Opportunity for Progressives

That's the plea of a petition, launched by the liberal-leaning Progressive Change Campaign Committee and signed by 5,000 current and former elected officials and other political leaders, addressed to the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.

"We urge all candidates for president to campaign on big, bold ideas -- such as establishing a national goal of debt-free college at all public colleges and universities, expanding Social Security benefits instead of cutting them, creating millions of clean-energy jobs, reducing big-money influence in politics, breaking up the 'too big to fail' Wall Street banks that crashed our economy, and ensuring that working families share in the economic growth they help create," the petition reads.

It argues that such ideas have broad support across the political spectrum and are "key to victory" in 2016. In addition to Reid, nearly 200 state legislators and 25 members of Congress have signed the petition. That includes former Iowa Rep. Tom Harkin and a few House members considering or running for Senate, including Florida Rep. Alan Grayson and Maryland Rep. Donna Edwards.

While the petition is addressed broadly to any 2016 contenders, its implicit target is Clinton, who is expected to launch her presidential bid this month. She's long faced skepticism from progressives who view her as too cozy with Wall Street and want to hear more from her on combating income inequality.

A number of little-known Democrats are floating presidential bids, including former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats. Clinton remains the prohibitive frontrunner in the early Democratic primary, however every survey of the field shows her leading her potential primary opponents by huge double-digit margins.

Though Clinton already has the backing of a number of Democratic senators in her probable bid, Reid's signature on the petition signals he may still be withholding judgment in the race. Reid has previously said that he "loves" the Clintons, Reid was instrumental in recruiting then-Sen. Barack Obama to challenge her in 2008.

And his move to back the PCCC's petition signals that he could again become a thorn in the Democrats' side a second time around.

Go here to see the original:
Harry Reid, progressives urge 2016 Dem to run on 'bold ...

April 8, 2015 : Chux Ohai, Owerri, Godwin Isenyo 17 Comments

MALLAM NASIR EL-RUFAI | credits: File copy

All Progressives Congress Governorship Candidate in Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai on Tuesday raised the alarm that the Peoples Democratic Party in the state has planned to undermine the card readers in order to rig the Saturdays election in the state.

Speaking in an Hausa programme Barka da Waharka on the Freedom Radio monitored in Kaduna, el-Rufai said the party had uncovered plot that the PDP was presently working to undermine the Permanent Voters Card and card reader device so as to ensure massive rigging in the state.

El-Rufai, a former minister of the FCT, also said the ruling party was recruiting and arming thugs to disrupt the election.

According to him, the PDP led government has imported armed thugs to perpetrate the rigging of the election.

He alleged that the party (PDP) has sinister dealings with some unprincipled INEC officials in the state to carry out their sinister motive.

El-Rufai said, We got credible intelligence and we alerted the police, military, DSS and INEC. They (PDP) have been running from pillar to pillar in the name of thwarting the effectiveness of card readers. They adopted using of armed thugs to intimidate voters and carry out ballot box snatching and stuffing of it (boxes) for declaration. They planned to withhold result sheets and other plots.

They met with some security personnel and seal a deal with them. We submitted all the details with evidence(s) to the authorities. So, we are watching closely and will not give them a chance.

Also, the All Progressives Congress in Imo State has raised the alarm over what it described as a plot by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to embark on massive rigging of Saturdays governorship and house of assembly elections in the state.

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PDP planning to rig elections el-Rufai

That's the plea of a petition, launched by the liberal-leaning Progressive Change Campaign Committee and signed by 5,000 current and former elected officials and other political leaders, addressed to the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.

"We urge all candidates for president to campaign on big, bold ideas -- such as establishing a national goal of debt-free college at all public colleges and universities, expanding Social Security benefits instead of cutting them, creating millions of clean-energy jobs, reducing big-money influence in politics, breaking up the 'too big to fail' Wall Street banks that crashed our economy, and ensuring that working families share in the economic growth they help create," the petition reads.

It argues that such ideas have broad support across the political spectrum and are "key to victory" in 2016. In addition to Reid, nearly 200 state legislators and 25 members of Congress have signed the petition. That includes former Iowa Rep. Tom Harkin and a few House members considering or running for Senate, including Florida Rep. Alan Grayson and Maryland Rep. Donna Edwards.

While the petition is addressed broadly to any 2016 contenders, its implicit target is Clinton, who is expected to launch her presidential bid this month. She's long faced skepticism from progressives who view her as too cozy with Wall Street and want to hear more from her on combating income inequality.

A number of little-known Democrats are floating presidential bids, including former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats. Clinton remains the prohibitive frontrunner in the early Democratic primary, however every survey of the field shows her leading her potential primary opponents by huge double-digit margins.

Though Clinton already has the backing of a number of Democratic senators in her probable bid, Reid's signature on the petition signals he may still be withholding judgment in the race. Reid has previously said that he "loves" the Clintons, Reid was instrumental in recruiting then-Sen. Barack Obama to challenge her in 2008.

And his move to back the PCCC's petition signals that he could again become a thorn in the Democrats' side a second time around.

View post:
Harry Reid, progressives urge 2016 Dem to run on 'bold economic populist' ideas